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Exploring the whole BCN


Double O

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We are looking to explore the whole BCN and would be grateful for any advice on the best places to moor overnight while doing this. And also any advice on the best route to take!

We are moored at Curdworth tonight and I was thinking to start the adventure by heading up the Tame Valley Canal and Rushall Canal before heading over to the Wyrley & Essington.

Any advice warmly received! Thanks.

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59 minutes ago, Double O said:

We are looking to explore the whole BCN and would be grateful for any advice on the best places to moor overnight

 

2 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

...The place does have a certain decrepit charm. ...

 

some  decrepit charm from 1996 ...

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Some back-of-the-map locations are very quiet for moorings : Brockmoor Junction; Leys Junction; Stourbridge Extension Canal Stop Lock

 
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The Titford pools have been dredged but the couple of miles between the pumphouse and the pools is a bit grim. Good moorings by the pumphouse


You can read about our travels on the BCN in my boring blog http://nbharnser.blogspot.com/ We have covered most of it and the only bit I don't like is Walsall, I felt uncomfortable in the basin alone.

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32 minutes ago, Double O said:

Thank you. I did have a look at that but was slightly worried that being 2017, it might be out of date. Is it still pretty accurate do you know??

Not sure the accuracy, did notice last time I passed Sneyd they had put a chain across the short arm so only mooring I think now is on the services.

 

 

 

I've moored over night at Perry Barr top lock outside the services, outside the Manor Arms, on the offside near  Moorcroft junction, Walsall basin  in Tipton on John the Lock moorings and outside the Black Country museum, both sides of Netherton tunnel and any of the moorings around the centre.

 

 

 

Other places generally used are Longwood, Anglesey Basin, Pelsall common, engine arm

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The places that ring alarm bells are probably ones you would not want to moor anyway. The BCN list is still fairly current, and if you are likely to be staying on your boat, then there are many places you need not worry. You are rarely far away from other boats to give you some idea of the vibes.

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Places I've used.

City centre, Black Country Museum, Wolverhampton (offside moorings), Engine Arm visitor mooring, Walsall Basin, top of the Perry Bar locks (off side), Anglesey Basin, Cannock Extension (by Brownhills Colliery Basin), Merryhill, Stourbridge, Windmill End Junction. No problems at any of them, except getting untied in the city centre. 

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1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Not sure the accuracy, did notice last time I passed Sneyd they had put a chain across the short arm so only mooring I think now is on the services.

 

 

 

I've moored over night at Perry Barr top lock outside the services, outside the Manor Arms, on the offside near  Moorcroft junction, Walsall basin  in Tipton on John the Lock moorings and outside the Black Country museum, both sides of Netherton tunnel and any of the moorings around the centre.

 

 

 

Other places generally used are Longwood, Anglesey Basin, Pelsall common, engine arm

I'm not sure what is going on at John the Lock moorings. We passed through there in July and there was nothing moored there. The towpath side of the canal was overgrown with water weed and no-one was mooring on the other side (last time we passed through there was quite a vibrant bunch of boaters there). We carried on to the Black Country museum moorings.

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6 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I'm not sure what is going on at John the Lock moorings. We passed through there in July and there was nothing moored there. The towpath side of the canal was overgrown with water weed and no-one was mooring on the other side (last time we passed through there was quite a vibrant bunch of boaters there). We carried on to the Black Country museum moorings.

No problem in Tipton now. Was there for a week two weeks ago and stopping there on Sunday on the way to Wolverhampton. 

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8 minutes ago, JamesWoolcock said:

There's always some weed in Tipton because the water is so clear, but nothing to stop you mooring up.

That is something that has only become so noticeable this year. After coming out of BCM moorings we travelled through to Smethwick on the Old Main Line and, except for the bit under the motorway, it was clear water and a central channel through the weed all the way. If we'd met a boat coming the other way (we didn't) one, or both of us, would have to have gone into the weed to pass one another. Has it improved now?

 

Having gone the the top of the Wednesbury Oak Loop to the Bradley workshops, it's not that I'm frightened of a bit of weed, but I haven't experienced it to the degree that was present this year.

Edited by Wanderer Vagabond
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Went up to Bradley Workshops two weeks ago and travelling slowly with a 25inch propeller I picked up nothing I couldn't shake off with one or two slow astern revolutions.

Then got a yard of summut green and growing hard on the rudder stock at the Malthouse Stables returning to Tipton!

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3 minutes ago, JamesWoolcock said:

Went up to Bradley Workshops two weeks ago and travelling slowly with a 25inch propeller I picked up nothing I couldn't shake off with one or two slow astern revolutions.

Then got a yard of summut green and growing hard on the rudder stock at the Malthouse Stables returning to Tipton!

That has been cleared since we went up there then. We ran into a raft of weed around Ladymoor on the Loop that stopped the boat. I shifted that over about 30 minutes with the shaft by picking the weed up and throwing it to one side, We hit another raft of weed in the narrows beyond the Highfield winding hole where the CRT workboats were that brought us to a stop again and moved it by the same method. Once clear of that it was fine to the workshops. Coming back with the flow was easier.

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Brownhills is good on the Tescos side with great doggy walking opportunities opposite through the common there. Also Anglesey Arm to the reservoir and Cannock Extension are lovely with friendly locals who rarely see a boat on the move. We counted 19 red deer in a field half way up the Cannock! Do be prepared for all sorts of rubbish to frequently find its way on to your prop on the BCN, every time we do any of it we say never again.....:rolleyes:

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1 hour ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

That is something that has only become so noticeable this year. After coming out of BCM moorings we travelled through to Smethwick on the Old Main Line and, except for the bit under the motorway, it was clear water and a central channel through the weed all the way. If we'd met a boat coming the other way (we didn't) one, or both of us, would have to have gone into the weed to pass one another. Has it improved now?

 

Having gone the the top of the Wednesbury Oak Loop to the Bradley workshops, it's not that I'm frightened of a bit of weed, but I haven't experienced it to the degree that was present this year.

I wouldn't say its any worse than previous years

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8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I wouldn't say its any worse than previous years

Dunno, we were warned against going up the Wednesbury Oak Loop by another experienced boater from the basin who got his heritage boat as far as the second winding hole and said he couldn't get any further through the weed. We obviously then had to give it a go :rolleyes: and got to the top but we were pushing serious amounts of weed on two sections of it, to the degree that it stopped the boat, not got wrapped around the prop, but stopped the boat going forwards. The only way to make any progress was to get on the foredeck and lift and shift the weed to the side. This was on 21st July. It was nothing like that the last time I went to Bradley Workshops.

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11 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Dunno, we were warned against going up the Wednesbury Oak Loop by another experienced boater from the basin who got his heritage boat as far as the second winding hole and said he couldn't get any further through the weed. We obviously then had to give it a go :rolleyes: and got to the top but we were pushing serious amounts of weed on two sections of it, to the degree that it stopped the boat, not got wrapped around the prop, but stopped the boat going forwards. The only way to make any progress was to get on the foredeck and lift and shift the weed to the side. This was on 21st July. It was nothing like that the last time I went to Bradley Workshops.

We have been up twice this year, once with a Group in September and once alone, but I cant remember the date

 

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Withymoor Island Trust is an excellent mooring spot, friendly and secure and the nearest point to Ma Pardoe's -- £10 deposit for a key, refunded when you leave. Ring to check if they've got space for a night, they usually have.

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15 hours ago, MrsM said:

Did we meet you at Ratcliff lock on the Soar earlier in the week? Really enjoying Leicester. Hope you have fun exploring the BCN

Yes, we were o  the Soar last week!!

15 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Places I've used.

City centre, Black Country Museum, Wolverhampton (offside moorings), Engine Arm visitor mooring, Walsall Basin, top of the Perry Bar locks (off side), Anglesey Basin, Cannock Extension (by Brownhills Colliery Basin), Merryhill, Stourbridge, Windmill End Junction. No problems at any of them, except getting untied in the city centre. 

Tha ks!

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